I wanted to add clam chowder to our wine bar buffet and found several recipes on line. I am the winemaker/cook/janitor and do all wine blinding, so I blended several recipes together, from easy to hard, and came up with my version. Guess what? It is exactly the same. Only difference is leaving some of the bacon in during cooking and a splash of sherry after plating (not the cooking version).

I figured I was just lucky with the "blend" and have never deviated. Our customers would revolt. I don't usually get so lucky when blending recipes, so I can't wait to check out more of yours...!

Googling for Clam Chowder and found your site... The recipe sounds just like what I was looking for and I'm definitely going to try it... second, this site seems geared towards an egghead who likes to eat (aka ME), but the real reason I wrote is that I've never seen a recipe set up like your chart... LOVE. IT. It's perfect!

Hi, I've tried this recipe and I absoloutely Loved it... not only me, but the whole family enjoyed it a lot... i want to make it again some time soon and was wondering what we would have clam chowder soup with? any suggestions anyone? I was thinking of salmon and some rice.. would clam chowder go with this dish?

I followed this recipe to a T, but have never had clam chowder (or clams at all!) in my life. After buying a few cans of clams and tasting one, I decided that I like clams and would continue on to make the recipe. I used bottled clam juice instead of the stuff in the cans.

However, the result didn't impress me. I added salt to taste but it's kind of bland and I had to give it a quick pulse with my immersion blender to thicken it up a little. After chucking in a hunk of butter, the flavour improved tremendously, but it's still not that impressive. I hope my boyfriend likes it better than me. Maybe I'm just a sucker for butter.

well, clam chowder is all about the clams - it is not a rip-out-yo-taste-buds savory type dish. not sure I would describe "clam" as a 'delicate' flavor, but it's not in the same class as say pepperoni.

as to some specific questions, bottled juice vs canned - not an issue. if it is an issue it is the brand of juice being more or less 'better' - not can vs bottle

thickening: most of that comes from the potatoes; minor amount from the heavy cream reduction. a high starch potato type is best - and even that depends on variety and how cooked they are - slightly overcooked will give you some "freely available starch" a waxy type potato will not provide much thickening at all. regardless, a quick pass with the boat motor is entirely in order.

if you have the option, supermarket shelves being what they are, check out different brand names of clams and juice. they do vary. and if you have the availability - fresh clams will certainly set your taste buds in motion - steam them until they just open, scoop out the goodies, save the steaming juice for the chowder. there be clams, and then there be _clams_!

well, clam chowder is all about the clams - it is not a rip-out-yo-taste-buds savory type dish. not sure I would describe "clam" as a 'delicate' flavor, but it's not in the same class as say pepperoni.

as to some specific questions, bottled juice vs canned - not an issue. if it is an issue it is the brand of juice being more or less 'better' - not can vs bottle

thickening: most of that comes from the potatoes; minor amount from the heavy cream reduction. a high starch potato type is best - and even that depends on variety and how cooked they are - slightly overcooked will give you some "freely available starch" a waxy type potato will not provide much thickening at all. regardless, a quick pass with the boat motor is entirely in order.

if you have the option, supermarket shelves being what they are, check out different brand names of clams and juice. they do vary. and if you have the availability - fresh clams will certainly set your taste buds in motion - steam them until they just open, scoop out the goodies, save the steaming juice for the chowder. there be clams, and then there be _clams_!

I should clarify - by "stuff in the cans" I meant the juice that was packed with the clams, which isn't clam juice at all but rather water that has had the clams soaking in it.

I am not sure how to choose a high-starch potato - where I live, they are divided into "Yellow flesh", "White" and "Red" potatoes. I like the yellow flesh because the flavour. Though I'm not sure what kind of potato it is, or any of the other ones.

The yellow flesh potatoes are somewhat more yellow inside than the white potatoes, though they look about the same on the outside. The skins are very thin and I never remove them. The only difference between the white and red potatoes seem to be the skin (they could have others but I have never noticed them).

I don't live in an area where fresh seafood is readily available, and even then, I don't think I'd have time to go through shucking all the clams I'd need for a recipe such as this! Nor carrying them home from the supermarket... can't imagine what a gigantic bag I'd need to carry them all.

This recipe was great! It was not much of a hassle for a beginner like me. I was little generous on the salt though. So my clam chowder was a tad too salty but the taste of the clams and thickness of the chowder was fine.

The guideline on having 18%-30% fat content was a good gauge. I used approximately 230 ml of cream (20% fat) and 200 of milk (low fat though). I was quite worried that the texture might not turn out well. But it was great!

Thank you for your recipe and I am glad my first attempt at clam chowder was a good one!

I've made cream-based chowders for years, always doing it without a recipe. Yesterday I made it again while attempting to standardize it for family members to use.

I got confused about the best order of operations, which made me call myself all sorts of unkind names. So it was funny (and helpful) to find the discussion "roux first" on this site. (I usually opt for the "messy kitchen" method.)

I have been making/eating NE Clam Chowder for over 65 years and never in my life have I heard so many undesirable comments as to what it consists of. Especially the adding dill, parsnips, garlic, and whatever other fancy someone adds.
First off, NE CC. is started with Salt Pork (for the flavor) and for the fat to cook the onion in.
I use, as did my Mother and her Mother before her, Soft Shelled, Quahogs, Sea Clams or the like.
Use clam juice or save the clam broth from steamers the night before.
Do the usual sauteing of the onion, then add the diced potatoes and lastly the clams. However, and this is the real kicker: we always used evaporated milk in our NE Chowder. Top it all off with some cream (usually this was from the top of the milk bottle in the old days). Sprinkle some paprika on top with a generous pat of butter and put in the refrigerator until the next day. This affords the chowder to take on all the luscious flavors.
Reverend Bob

Used your recipe after trying several other's over the years, yours is excellent and easy to follow. Made it for 21st Birthday of my son, as a requested item on celebration menu and it was enjoyed by all. Thanks for a user friendly site!

I was given some fresh clams yesterday. i will be making clam chowder tomorrow night. The recipe i have (from a local chef) has you to saute onions and celery. The recipe also calls for thyme. Does any of this sound right?